A study was devised to determine why family planning communication in a Washington state village has been successful despite the lack of planned programs or focused attempts at directed change. Three major social organizational principles affecting family planning communication were analyzed: the occupational split between public employees and locals (the remainder of the population), the prevalence of age-grading in female grouping and friendship patterns, and the role of kinship in women's lives. Based on the assumption that important cultural elements surface in time from observing and interacting with community members, the study revealed two generalizations that crosscut the social organizational principles. The first, relating to the cultural significance of occupations, indicates that people categorize themselves and others according to occupation. The second generalization focuses on two features that characterize all three principles of social organization: individuals relate to others according to occupation, age-grade, and kinship; and values and choices are determined in the context of these relationships. (An analysis of the local homemaker's organization is appended.) (MAI)